Regardless of the distribution, would it be possible to have a phone that can be simplified to include only the features you want? For example, I would only want a calendar, notes, a calculator, calls and messages. I wouldn’t want a browser, an app store or any other way to easily install them. Is this possible on a Linux mobile distro? Does it require a lot of work, like making a specific distro for it?
Linux feels like a great option for this because it can leave enough freedom to dumb down what you don’t need while also keeping a big level of customization, not everyone needs are the same regarding to dumbphones
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The fact that you don’t want an easy way to install apps outside of the initial deployment but (presumably) want an easy way to update your pre-existing apps would probably give you some trouble because they usually come from the same source. There are ways to blocklist or whitelist packages on some package managers but the specific details depends on the package manager.
Remove the store app and replace it with a daemon which does the updates in background.
If it’s a pure Linux phone then apps would be installed through the command line and could be easily auto updated via a script.
So if you don’t install a terminal emulator on the phone itself and only access the command line through something like SSH. You wouldn’t have to worry about an app store at all ideally?
It will be hard to find a Linux phone that does those things well as a daily driver.
It’s already hard to find an actually fully working Linux phone that is even close to being a daily driver.
I just started experimenting with SailfishOS, a Linux (non-Android) OS for phones. It’s got an app store, but since it’s not Android the app selection is pretty limited. I was actually wondering if this could be a compromise between full smartphone and full dumbphone.
I am able to run some Android apps, by installing them through F-Droid, like Bitwarden, but it seems like I wouldn’t be able to install Facebook I think? Idk. Literally just got this SailfishOS phone from Jolla Devices yesterday.
seems like I wouldn’t be able to install Facebook I think
Bonus.
I know, right! That’s a feature! This… might… just be able to get me off of Whatsapp. I recently learned about Molly, an open source Signal client. They have a F-Droid repo…
If you can install actual Google Play store apps, please don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. Lalalalalalala. 🙉🙉🙉🙉
Yes, I have a PinePhone and PinePhone Pro both with PostMarketOS so doing this is as easy as few
sudo apk add packagenameorsudo apk del firefox.Now… if you want a daily driver then as few others hinted at, it’s much harder. I would instead, if deGoogle Android is an acceptable compromise for you, get a 2nd hand Pixel 8 or above, install GrapheneOS on it, remove the browser and that’s pretty much it already since it doesn’t come with an app store or equivalent. Well, there’s the GrapheneOS equivalent but there are ~10 apps on it at most last time I checked.
Can you remove the browser on GOS? When I was about to switch, the people on the fora were looking down on those who wanted to remove the browser like “self control” or “that is not GOS point”
Right, you actually can’t AFAIK but you can disable it.
It’s indeed not the point. GrapheneOS focus is on security. If you want to have complete control you’d better go with a Linux proper phone but AFAICT, unless you are fine with ~4hrs battery and/or can spend 1000€ on a device that very people have, it’s not for most.
It’s definitely possible. It’s possible with a custom Android ROM.
There are are also a few phones in existence now that do basically what you request: https://www.thelightphone.com/lightiii
PostmarketOS with some customizations? I think that should be possible.
Ubuntu Touch seems like a decent option, but graphineOS seems much more complete. I would definitely recommend keeping an app store though. Security updates are important.
Does it require a lot of work, like making a specific distro for it?
With phones you are basically making specific distributions for each device anyway.
Yes, it’s possible. Some things might be challenging, like keeping the system up to date without the user having access to an app repository, but it’s possible e.g. by running a script as a cron job.
Whether it’s a good idea is harder to say. Linux distributions for phones are not especially mature and polished compared to desktop Linux. You might get better advice if you explain why you want to do this and who the intended user is.
You could do something like that with Ubuntu Touch, but why waste the battery life and money on a smart phone when you can do this with a feature phone?
Because most feature phones are not compatible with signal
That makes sense. On Ubuntu Touch (if you find a compatible device) you could just delete the apps you don’t want and keep the rest.
Two issues I can think of is updating the apps that you do keep without the app store - I’m not sure there’s an easy way to do that. Maybe transfer the new package via cable or ssh (as you’ve also uninstalled the browser) and install it via the command line? The other issue could be uninstalling system apps. I haven’t tried that myself, but I have heard of others doing it and breaking things.
of course
Yup, easy, mayhap not, but worthwhile things often aren’t.
